Ransomes unveil new look Conducting team

This weekend’s Area Finals at Burton-on-Trent see the Ransome band take the stage for the first time under it’s new look conducting team.

This time last year, the band was about to take the stage under the direction of Brian Grant. Twelve months on, the band has a very different look in the middle in the form of two cornet players; Russell Gray and Graham O’Connor.

Russell Gray has been appointed as the band’s professional conductor. Russell is well known to the band, having worked with the band during 2000 and 2001. During his previous spell with the band, Russell guided them to both a second place (and English champions) at the Royal Albert Hall and the 2001 Europeans in Switzerland. This current union has already made a good start, with the band achieving a 7th place at the 2003 National Finals. Russell will be taking the band at the forthcoming Area Finals as well as to the Senior Cup and the All-England Masters.

Graham O’Connor has been engaged as the band’s resident conductor. He took over the conducting in duties in January 2004, and has proved an instant success with the band and audiences alike. Graham has a proven pedigree of getting the very best out of bands at all levels. The start of the year has been a busy one with the band and Graham has been thrust into the limelight very quickly. He recently took the band to the Annual Newark Proms concerts at the Palace Theatre (including taking the second half dressed as Austin Powers!).

Jo Riseley, the Band Manager, commented ‘The Ransome Band is delighted with these appointments. We’ve worked with Russell in the past and we were only too aware of his pedigree. The band is really excited about working with him at the upcoming contests. Graham has been a revelation for the players in the band. He has worked the band very hard in the last couple of months, but the benefits are there for everyone to see. You only need to look at his track record to see that he will bring the band on. The last couple of years have been a little up and down for the band, but the events of the last few months have really given the band a lift. We are looking forward to establishing the band at the very highest levels of banding again during the next twelve months.’